Thimble



I w. c. russELL THIMBLE May 6, 1941.

Filed March 6, 1939 INVENTOR. ZJZZZz'azrz Cfizzsse/Z ATTORNEY.

Patented May 6, 1941 THIlllBL-E William 0'. Russell, Kenoslia, Wis,assignmto Macwhyte Company, Kenosha, Wis., a. corporation of IllinoisApplication March 6, 1939, Serial No. 260,144

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a thimble of the type intended primarily foruse in connection with ropes and cables in which a portion of the ropeis put about the thimble.

In one form the rope is made into an eye which is positioned about thethimble. The thimble may, of course, be used in connection with a ropewhich has no eye. It may be used anywhere where it is desirable to applythimbles to a rope.

Another object is to provide a thimble of simple and strong form inwhich the thimble is prepared complete and is thereafter applied to arope and may be bent about the rope to be secured to it.

Another object therefore, is to provide in connection with such athimble ready deformable means adapted to be bent. around the rope.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in thedrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one type of the device.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken at line 3.-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view after deformation showing a rope in position.

Like parts are designated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawing.

I designates generally the body of the thimble. It is provided with agroove or channel 2 in its exterior adapted for the reception of a rope.The bottom of the thimble comprises the generally curved member 3, whichas shown in particular in Figure 1 is of varying thickness. Thethickness being greater at or near the center and decreasing toward theends. It will be noticed also that the curvature of the inside or uppersurface of the member 3 is greater than the curvature of outside orlower surface of that member.

Side walls 4, 4 are joined to the bottom member 3 to complete thethimble. Either or both ends of the side walls may or may not have anindentation in which there may be positioned information such as thesize or capacity of the piece, the manufacturers name or any otherinformation that it is desired to make a permanent part of the thimble.V

Positioned at several points along the outer edges of the side walls 4,4 and formed integrally tions 1. and shape that they extend preferablyto some degree into the material of the side walls 4 and thus both theears and the adjoining side wall portions are tapered and shaped to makebending convenient and prevent fracture or undue distortion. A depressedarea 5 may be left on one side of the thimble, if desired. Such an areais convenient for the insertion of numbers, dimensions, trade-marks,manufacturers names and the like.

After the thimble, as shown in Figure 4, has been made, a rope ispositioned in it so that it lies in the groove 2 and against the inneror upper surface of the member 3 and the ears are then bent inwardlytoward each other and. about the rope so that the rope is embraced bythe ears and is held in place in the thimble. Whether or not the rope isheld against sliding in the thimble, is a matter of choice. The ears maybe forced in so strongly that they prevent such sliding or they may beforced in to a less degree in which case sliding is possible. But whenthe ears are bent inwardly they serve to prevent the rope from comingout of the thimble entirely.

The reducing or thinning shown at I might be of a difierent size andextent. It might, also, be on the inside of the lugs or ears 6 and manychanges in this feature might be made without departing from the spiritof the invention which is not limited specifically to the exactproportion or arrangement shown in this respect. While a single rope isshown in Figure 5, obviously the thimble can be used in connection withany sort of a rope such as a multi-part manila or wire rope or even asingle solid wire. The invention is, therefore, not limited to use inconnection with any particular type of wire or rope.

Although I have shown an operative form of my device, it will beunderstood that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of partsmight be made without departing from the spirit of my invention; and Iwish that my showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

I claim:

1. A rope thimble comprising a. generally curved body, said body portionbeing convex on its under surface and concave on its upper surface, anda pair of integral side walls projecting from the concave side of saidbody, and a plurality of integral, flexible ears projecting outwardlyfrom said side walls, the thickness of said ears being reduced from thepoint at which each joins a side wall to its outer end, said ears attheir sides where they join the side walls being weakened and beingotherwise unweakened, said ears adapted to be bent to engage a ropelying about the body portion and between the side walls.

2. A rope thimble comprising a generally curved body of varyingthickness, said body having its greatest thickness centrally anddecreasing in thickness toward each end, said body portion being convexon its under surface and concave on its upper surface, and a pair ofintegral side walls projecting from the concave side of said body, and aplurality of integral, flexible ears projecting outwardly from said sidewalls, each ear at its sides where it joins the side wall being notchedand being otherwise unweakened, said ears adapted to be bent to engage arope lying about the body portion and between the side walls.

3. A rope thimble comprising a generally curved body of varyingthickness, said body having its greatest thickness centrally anddecreasing in thickness progressively and equally toward each end, saidbody portion being convex on its under surface and concave on its uppersurface, and a pair of integral side walls projecting from the concaveside of said body, and a plurality of pairs of integral, flexible ears,projecting outwardly from said side walls, said ears at their'sideswhere they join the side walls being notched and being otherwiseunweakened, said ears adapted to be bent to engage a rope lying, aboutthe body portion and between the side walls.

4. A rope thimble comprising a generally curved body, said body portionbeing convex on rality of integral, flexible ears, projecting outwardlyfrom said side Walls, each ear at its ends where it joins its side wallbeing weakened by thinning, said thinning being continued into said sidewall for a limited distance, one pair of ears being located at the uppercenter of said thimble, said ears adapted to be bent to engage a ropelying about the body portion and between the side walls.

5. As an article of manufacture, a rope thimble comprising a rigid,generally curved thimble body, side flanges formed integrally with saidbody, and a plurality of outwardly directed flexible lugs formedintegrally with said flanges, said lugs and said flanges being thinnedat their adjacent edges and not elsewhere, said lugs adapted to be bentover a rope lying within the space bounded by said body and saidflanges.

6. As an article of manufacture, a rope thimble comprising a rigid,generally curved thimble body, said body having its greatest thicknesscentrally and tapering equally toward its ends, side flanges formedintegrally with said body, and a plurality of outwardly directed pairsof flexible lugs formed integrally with said flanges, the said lugstapering toward their outer ends and being weakened, adjacent theirpoint of juncture with a side wall, by thinning at their sides adjacentsaid side flanges and away from their outer ends, where they join eachother, and not elsewhere, said lugs adapted to be bent over a rope lyingwithin the space bounded by said body and said flanges.

7. As an article of manufacture, a rope thimble comprising a rigid,generally curved thimble body, the ends of said body being out ofcontact with each other, side flanges formed integrally with said bodyon its outer face, and a plurality of outwardly directed pairs of lugsformed integrally with said side flanges, the thickness of said lugs andof said flanges being reduced for a limited space at the sides of saidlugs where each joins its side flange, said lugs being adapted to bebent over a rope lying within the space bounded by said body and saidflanges, the lugs, when bent in place, securing the rope within thethimble.

WILLIAM C. RUSSELL.

